When I got up this morning and heard thunder, I knew what my day held in
store.  Today was my day to act as a docent and lecturer at the
Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum.  You know what a rainy day on Sanibel Island
means, "Can't go to the beach.  Let's go to the museum."  I almost dreaded
it because I knew we would be having a house full of children and like a
number of people have written about, many of today's children are not
taught how to behave in public.   
 
Well, what a great day!  Yes, the families came in droves but the parents 
stayed with their children.  They worked with them in the children's
learning lab, talked to them about the giant squid hanging from the ceiling
and brought them to the slide presentation on mollusks.  The only mishap
was when a little toddler who was faster than the speed of light, tossed a
shell from the "hands on" cupboard into the live tank.   
 
It was a delightful day.  The lecture hall was filled to the brim.  I had 
all the children come to the front and sit on the floor by me so adults
could have their seats.  There wasn't a peep in the room through the whole
30 minute presentation. Their questions were appropriate.  My faith in
parenting is renewed.  (At least temporarily.)
 
Joyce Matthys
Sanibel Island, FL/ Salem, Oregon